The 1970s
Speed, Danger, and Ground Effect
The Era
The 1970s were the decade of extremes in Formula 1. On one hand, the sport grew in commercial stature under the influence of Bernie Ecclestone, who transformed the Constructors' Association into a powerful negotiating body. On the other, the death toll remained horrific: Jochen Rindt became the sport's only posthumous champion in 1970, and further fatalities including Roger Williamson, François Cevert, and Ronnie Peterson reminded everyone that the sport's safety revolution was far from complete. The decade saw towering talents emerge: Emerson Fittipaldi became the youngest champion in 1972, Niki Lauda survived a near-fatal crash at the Nürburgring in 1976 and returned just six weeks later, and the rivalry between James Hunt and Lauda produced one of the sport's greatest seasons. Colin Chapman's ground-effect Lotus 79 revolutionised car design in 1978, creating massive downforce by shaping the car's underbody to act as an inverted wing, and Mario Andretti rode it to the championship.
Key Changes
Bernie Ecclestone begins organising F1 commercially. Ground-effect aerodynamics introduced by Lotus. Six-wheeled Tyrrell P34. Safety improvements including deformable structures. Turbocharged engines appear (Renault, 1977).
World Champions
| Year | Driver | Team | Wins | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Jochen Rindt | Team Lotus | 5 | 45 |
| 1971 | Jackie Stewart | Tyrrell | 6 | 62 |
| 1972 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Team Lotus | 5 | 61 |
| 1973 | Jackie Stewart | Tyrrell | 5 | 71 |
| 1974 | Emerson Fittipaldi | McLaren | 3 | 55 |
| 1975 | Niki Lauda | Ferrari | 5 | 64.5 |
| 1976 | James Hunt | McLaren | 6 | 66 |
| 1977 | Niki Lauda | Ferrari | 3 | 70 |
| 1978 | Mario Andretti | Team Lotus | 6 | 64 |
| 1979 | Jody Scheckter | Ferrari | 3 | 51 |
Constructor Champions
| Year | Constructor | Wins | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Team Lotus | 6 | 59 |
| 1971 | Tyrrell | 7 | 73 |
| 1972 | Team Lotus | 5 | 61 |
| 1973 | Team Lotus | 7 | 91 |
| 1974 | McLaren | 4 | 72 |
| 1975 | Ferrari | 6 | 72.5 |
| 1976 | Ferrari | 6 | 79 |
| 1977 | Ferrari | 4 | 84 |
| 1978 | Team Lotus | 8 | 86 |
| 1979 | Ferrari | 6 | 113 |
Race Winners
| # | Driver | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niki Lauda | 17 |
| 2 | Jackie Stewart | 16 |
| 3 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 14 |
| 4 | Mario Andretti | 12 |
| 5 | Ronnie Peterson | 10 |
| 6 | Jody Scheckter | 10 |
| 7 | James Hunt | 10 |
| 8 | Carlos Reutemann | 9 |
| 9 | Jochen Rindt | 5 |
| 10 | Jacky Ickx | 5 |
| 11 | Clay Regazzoni | 5 |
| 12 | Alan Jones | 5 |
| 13 | Gilles Villeneuve | 4 |
| 14 | Denny Hulme | 3 |
| 15 | Jacques Laffite | 3 |
| 16 | Peter Revson | 2 |
| 17 | Patrick Depailler | 2 |
| 18 | Jack Brabham | 1 |
| 19 | Pedro Rodríguez | 1 |
| 20 | François Cevert | 1 |
| 21 | Jo Siffert | 1 |
| 22 | Peter Gethin | 1 |
| 23 | Jean-Pierre Beltoise | 1 |
| 24 | Carlos Pace | 1 |
| 25 | Jochen Mass | 1 |
| 26 | Vittorio Brambilla | 1 |
| 27 | John Watson | 1 |
| 28 | Gunnar Nilsson | 1 |
| 29 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | 1 |